Even 20 years ago, one could drive in any direction in the Rawalpindi-Islamabad area and eventually come across rolling fields of crops and fodder and miles of open countryside. Sadly, due to overpopulation and increasing urban sprawl, much of this lush landscape has been changed for the worse. It has become a concrete jungle full of unplanned housing, causing pollution and straining resources such as power, water and gas. There is also a very real danger of our agricultural lands disappearing, leading to even more severe and widespread food insecurity.
It is imperative for the government and other concerned stakeholders to come together and act now to save our farms. Above all, the population must be brought under control on an emergency basis within the next five years. We also need to implement a strict nationwide limit on the expansion of urban housing schemes into green areas. Urban growth must evolve towards a vertical model that prioritizes building more homes using less space within established city limits.
Nayab Ahmad
Rawalpindi